Mangaluru: Mangaluru International Airport handled a record 7399 passengers on November 19 on 26 arriving and 25 departing flights. This includes 3527 arriving and 3872 departing passengers, respectively. This is the highest ever daily passengers that the airport has handled from the commercial operation date (COD) of October 31, 2020. This is also the first time that the airport has breached the 7000-passenger daily handling mark since November 2021.

The load factor that the airline – IndiGo, Air India and Air India Express recorded on November 19 too tells their own story. While the load factor on arriving flights – domestic and international was 79%, this increased to 91% on the departing flights. Resumption of the flight on the Mangaluru-Pune sector and an event at a prominent educational institution in the neighboring district, is a contributory factor to the increased passenger footfalls for the day.

The last time that Mangaluru International Airport handled passengers more than the 7000 mark for the day was on November 27, 2021, when 7084 passengers used this #GatewayToGoodness. The other occasions that the airport handled more than 7000 passengers was on November 6, 2021, and November 20, 2021, when 7168 passengers and 7304 passengers respectively used this facility. The airport on an average handled 5200 passengers per day in FY 22-23.

The increase in air traffic movements since October 29 when the winter schedule came into effect has also contributed to the above buoyant numbers. Business and leisure travel picking up in the festive season across India has also gone on to contribute to the gradually increasing footfalls at Mangaluru International Airport. The airport currently provides connectivity to nine domestic including six direct and seven international destinations, respectively.